Experts estimate that stress is the underlying cause of nearly 90% of all dis-ease. Aromatherapy is a very effective way to alleviate stress.
What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is a holistic healing modality that uses natural plant extracts (essential oils) to promote health and well-being. Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health.
Aromatherapy is considered both an art and a science. Over the last 20 years, there has been a significant increase in research on essential oils. Aromatherapy has gained more recognition in the fields of science and medicine.
How long has aromatherapy been around?
Humans have used aromatics for thousands of years. Ancient cultures in China, India, Egypt, and elsewhere incorporated aromatic plant components in resins, balms, and oils. These natural substances were used for medical and religious purposes. They were known to have both physical and psychological benefits.
Essential oil distillation is attributed to the Persians in the 10th century, though the practice may have been in use for much longer. Information about essential oil distillation was published in Germany in the 16th century. French physicians in the 19th century recognized the potential of essential oils in mitigating disease.
The term “aromatherapie” was coined by the French perfumer and chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé in a book he wrote on the topic, published in 1937. He had previously discovered the healing potential of lavender in treating burns. The book discusses the use of essential oils in treating medical conditions.
What is the difference between an Aromatherapist, an Aromatologist, and an Aromachologist?
An Aromatherapist uses natural essential oils for holistic, physiological healing (body/mind), rooted in herbal tradition, while an Aromachologist focuses on the psychological effects of scents (natural or synthetic) on behavior, using science to understand why smells affect mood for applications (like retail branding or perfumery). An aromatologist is an advanced aromatherapy practitioner focused on the chemistry of oils for clinical purposes, distinct from aromachology's behavioral focus. 'Aromatologist' is sometimes used interchangeably with an "Aomachologist" or for advanced clinical training in essential oil chemistry for deeper therapeutic effects, but generally differs in scope (holistic healing vs. psychological study) and ingredients (pure oils vs. fragrance blends). Or more simply put,
- Aromatherapy: What oils do to the body (healing, natural).
- Aromachology: Why smells affect the mind (psychological, scientific).
- Aromatologist: Often bridges both, or signifies deeper clinical aromatherapy knowledge, using oils for therapeutic purposes.
How does aromatherapy treatment work?
Aromatherapy works through the sense of smell and skin absorption using products such as these:
- diffusers
- aromatic spritzers
- inhalers
- bathing salts
- body oils, creams, or lotions for massage or topical application
- facial steamers
- hot and cold compresses
- clay masks
You can use these alone or in any combination.
As an essential oil is inhaled, the volatile molecules stimulate the olfactory receptor cells, and the impulse is transmitted to the limbic system. The limbic system is the part of the brain that controls emotion, memory, breathing, and blood circulation, and stimulates the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates hormones. This occurs whether or not you can appreciate the smell of an aroma, so those who have a loss of smell (anosmia) or a reduction in their sense of smell may still benefit from aromatherapy.
Each essential oil contains naturally occurring chemical components that offer unique healing properties, uses, and effects. Combining essential oils to create a synergistic blend creates even more benefits.
Aromatherapy benefits
Aromatherapy has an array of benefits and may be helpful to:
- manage pain
- improve sleep quality
- reduce stress, agitation, and anxiety
- soothe sore joints
- quell headaches and migraines
- heal wounds, bites, and stings
- alleviate side effects of chemotherapy
- ease the discomforts of labor
- fight bacteria, viruses, or fungi
- improve digestion
- improve skin conditions
- improve hospice and palliative care
- boost immunity
What happens in a consultation?
During a consultation, you’ll answer questions and talk about your general health, medical and family history, lifestyle, and emotional well-being. These details are necessary as each care plan is highly individualized and designed to meet your particular needs. All information is held in the strictest confidence. Together, we develop an individualized care plan to meet your goals and improve your well-being. You may have a few sessions, or you could opt for ongoing sessions over a more extended period.
Since aromatherapy is a complementary therapy, you may wish to talk to your doctor before starting your sessions so that your essential oil therapy can be tailored to work together with any medical care or treatment you’re receiving.
What is Aromatic Reflex Therapy?
Aromatic Reflex Therapy is the amalgamation of aromatherapy and reflexology. Unlike reflexology, Aromaflexology is not just a hands-on treatment. The therapist uses the tip of his/her thumb and pressure over the reflexes to assess the client's level of health. All nerve endings terminate in the hands, feet, and ears. When pressure is applied to a reflex, the client may feel a twinge of pain or the therapist may sense a gritty feeling under the skin. This indicates that the corresponding body system may require attention. After this initial assessment is completed, the therapist will create an essential oil blend specific to the client's needs and mix it into a cream to be massaged into the affected reflexes. The client is given the cream and instructed on self-care at home.
Aromatherapy is a natural medicine. Natural is good, right?
Yes! However, strawberries are natural too, and if you are allergic to strawberries, you can have a bad reaction.
Are there any side effects to using aromatherapy?
Professional aromatherapy is a safe complementary therapy for men, women, children, and the elderly. It can be used alongside allopathic medicine for those with conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, and cancer. Essential oils are generally safe to use; however, some have precautions, especially if you take any prescription medications or have specific health issues.
Essential oils should never be applied directly to your skin. Always use a carrier oil or lotion to dilute the oils. Some essential oils, such as citrus oils, are phototoxic/photosensitizing and can cause darker pigmentation of the skin when exposed to sunlight within 12 hours of application.
Children, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those on medications, and the elderly and/or infirm require additional precautions. Essential oils are not to be ingested unless prescribed by a licensed practitioner with an advanced education in Aromatic Medicine.
Side effects of misusing essential oils can include:
- rashes
- asthma attacks
- headaches
- allergic reactions
- skin irritation
- nausea
Your Aromatherapist will help you choose those best suited to you and your care, reducing the possibility of side effects or adverse reactions. While not a replacement for conventional healthcare, in professional hands, aromatherapy can be used alongside traditional medical care to support the body's healing process actively.
How long before I see results?
Results vary by individual and by condition (chronic or acute). Please keep in mind that essential oils are different from pharmaceutical drugs. Pharmaceutical drugs work by having a single chemical acting on the primary component of a dis-ease. It's a one-on-one fight, much like a boxing match. Essential oils contain over 100 naturally occurring chemical constituents that act on multiple components of a dis-ease, more like a battle of armies. It can take a little longer for an essential oil or blend to work; however, the results are longer-lasting, and using nature's medicine encourages homeostasis in the body. That is to say that pharmaceutical drugs may attack the bad stuff, but they attack the good stuff too, as in the case of antibiotics. It can take up to a year for the body to rebuild its immune system after just one round of antibiotics. Essential oils help the body heal itself and create a more harmonious healing environment without depleting the body's systems.
Want more information? Click here to view an aromatherapy booklet created by the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA).